There was more snow here in New York City this week, dashing all our hopes of an on-time spring. Those birds and flowers really did not listen. That's okay, though, because we have plenty of books to tide you over until the sun gets the memo that it's late for a very important date.

We have reviews of three books we especially want you to make note of. BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys is about a 15-year-old Lithuanian girl who is sent to Siberia with her family by Soviet officers and then forced into hard labor. I could not put this one down when I read it and kept wondering how I would survive such an internment. I had lunch with Ruta a few months ago, and she shared that she had taken her research to a new level with this book by actually spending time in a simulated hard labor camp. Being there definitely infused her writing. You can watch a terrific video (long but worth it) about her writing here.

Also not to be missed is LOST & FOUND: THREE, Shaun Tan's book of illustrated short stories (its film adaptation won Best Animated Short at this year's Academy Awards...it's nice to have an author who can claim an Oscar!), and TORTALL AND OTHER LANDS by Tamora Pierce, a collection of all the tales from the land of Tortall.

We have an interview with Trent Reedy, the author of WORDS IN THE DUST, who talks about his protagonist Zulaikha, an Afghan girl who dared to hope for a better future. He recounts his own experiences as a soldier in Afghanistan, elaborating on the real-life figure who inspired his book. I heard him speak in January at a librarian conference, and he was so moving that he got a standing ovation. He's a person who really made a difference in a young woman's life!

We continue our giveaway of 100 copies of MAY by Kathryn Lasky. In this second installment of her Daughters of the Seaseries, May, on her 15th birthday, discovers she's a mermaid. She must learn who she can trust among her friends, not all of whom are thrilled with her transformation. Read our review, an excerpt, and enter the contest here by Wednesday, May 4th at noon ET.

You can also be one of the lucky 100 who will win THE CHAOSby Rachel Ward, the second book in her Numbers series. Adam can see the date you will die just by looking you in the eye. But what happens when too many people share the same number? What kind of a catastrophe is coming? We have our review, an excerpt, and our interview with the author. Click here to enter the contest by Wednesday, May 4th at noon ET.

We're still shining our Special Feature spotlight on THE ANTI-PROM by Abby McDonald, which is especially appropriate for this time of year, with prom season not too far away. In it, popular girl Bliss teams up with bad girl Jolene and smart girl Meg in an attempt to get revenge on Bliss's cheating boyfriend. Read our review, an excerpt, and our interview with the author.

Are you between the ages of 12-17? We want your feedback for a 10-Minute survey! Take the survey and tell us which books you like to read and which covers are your favorites. We will randomly select 50 participants to win one of four great titles for sharing their thoughts with us.

Don't forget to weigh in on this month's poll. Which of the movies based on books have you seen or do you plan to see in theaters or on DVD? Also, be sure to answer the question: What was your favorite movie based on a book, and what was your biggest disappointment? When you're done, head on over to Word of Mouth, where we're giving away CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS: The Mortal Instruments, Book Four by Cassandra Clare and VIOLA IN THE SPOTLIGHT by Adriana Trigiani.

We are planning to launch this as a bi-weekly newsletter on April 5th. At the start, it will be emailed every other Tuesday. Eventually we plan to send it weekly. Inside this newsletter you will get a listing of hardcover and paperback titles releasing that week and the next, along with a one-line description.

Interested in subscribing?

Please fill out this form to subscribe. If you are not subscribed to the weekly Teenreads.com newsletter, which is typically sent out twice a month, you can do so here.

THE ABUSED WEREWOLF RESCUE GROUP by Catherine Jinks (Mystery)
When Tobias Richard Vandevelde wakes up in a hospital with no memory of the night before, his horrified mother tells him that he was found unconscious. At Featherdale Wildlife Park. In a dingo pen.

He assumes that his two best friends are somehow responsible, until the mysterious Reuben turns up, claiming that Toby has a rare and dangerous "condition." Next thing he knows, Toby finds himself involved with a strange bunch of sickly insomniacs who seem convinced that he needs their help.

It's not until he's kidnapped and imprisoned that he starts to believe them --- and to understand what being a paranormal monster really means.

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys (Historical Fiction)
It's 1941, and Lina is just like any other 15-year-old Lithuanian girl. That is, until Soviet officers barge into her home. Separated from her father, Lina, her mother and her brother travel north on a crowded train to a camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here, under Stalin's orders, they are forced to dig for beets --- and fight for their lives --- under the cruelest conditions. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read an excerpt from BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY.
-Click here to watch Ruta Sepetys talk about BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY.

LOST & FOUND: THREE by Shaun Tan (Fiction/Illustrated Short Stories)The Lost Thing won Best Animated Short at this year's Academy Awards. This huge honor coincides with the release of LOST & FOUND, a collection of Shaun Tan's early picture books that includes the story on which the film is based, along with THE RED TREE and THE RABBITS. Reviewed by Sarah A. Wood.

TORTALL AND OTHER LANDS: A Collection of Tales by Tamora Pierce (Fantasy/Short Stories)
Collected here for the first time are all the tales from the land of Tortall, featuring previously unknown characters, as well as old friends. Filling in gaps of time and interest, these stories will lead Tamora Pierce's fans and new readers alike into one of the most intricately constructed worlds of modern fantasy. Reviewed by Joy Held.

A first-time novelist and a member of the Army National Guard, Trent Reedy is the author of WORDS IN THE DUST, the remarkable tale of an Afghan girl named Zulaikha who dares to hope for a better future --- and the surgery she'll need to fix her cleft palate --- when American soldiers arrive in her village. In this interview, Reedy talks about his own experiences as a soldier in Afghanistan, elaborating on the real-life figure who inspired his book. He also explains how the experience of war altered his feelings about the Afghan people, reflects on the challenges of writing his first-ever novel, and recalls the fan letter he wrote that helped launch his career as a writer --- and sparked the beginning of a long-lasting literary friendship.

WORDS IN THE DUST by Trent Reedy (Fiction)A quiet, severely disfigured Afghan girl experiences a promising vision of her nation's future when American troops occupy her desert village and arrange surgery for her cleft lip. Based on an enlightening true story, WORDS IN THE DUST tells of a shy 13-year-old and how much her life changes because of the simple kindness of a few concerned American soldiers. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.

-Click here to read a review of WORDS IN THE DUST.
-Click here to read an excerpt from WORDS IN THE DUST.
-Click here to watch Trent Reedy talk about WORDS IN THE DUST.

Special Feature and Contest: DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA #2: MAY by Kathryn Lasky

May is different from what her mother and father would have her be. She wants to go swimming in the summer, to whoop and holler running off the wharf and into the seawater. She wants to read books (other than the Bible) late into the night. She wants a freedom that they just don't understand her need for; even she can’t quite grasp it. That is, until she realizes her true nature as a mermaid.

To celebrate the release ofMAY, Teenreads.com is giving 100readers the chance towin a copyof this second book in Kathryn Lasky’sDaughters of the Seaseries. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 4th at noon ET.

DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA #2: MAYby Kathryn Lasky(Fantasy)May feels her life drying up. The sea calls to her, but her parents forbid her from swimming. She longs for books, but her mother finds her passion for learning strange. She yearns for independence, but a persistent suitor, Rudd, wants to tame her spirited ways. Yet after her 15th birthday, the urge to break free becomes overpowering and May makes a life-changing discovery. She does not belong on land where girls are meant to be obedient. She is a mermaid --- a creature of the sea.

Adam is cursed. Who would want to look into the eyes of a friend and not only see the date of their death, but feel the pain of it as well? At first, it was Jem's death day. Now, Adam has moved to London with his great-grandmother, Val, and there's a new number that's showing up: 01012027 --- New Year's Day. And it's not just one person. How many people can he save from the catastrophe that awaits?

To celebrate the release ofTHE CHAOS, Teenreads.com is giving 100 readers the chance towin a copyof this second book inRachel Ward'sNumbersseries. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 4th at noon ET.

NUMBERS #2: THE CHAOSby Rachel Ward(Urban Fantasy)
When he was a little boy, Adam learned about the numbers. The first ones he saw were Jem's. That was how he knew she was going to die. Adam has more than inherited his mother's curse: When he looks in someone's eyes, he not only sees the date of their death, he feels the searing, shocking pain of it. Since Jem died, Adam has lived by the sea with his great-grandmother, Val. But when rising tides flood the coast, they return to London. The city is an alien, exciting, frightening place. Most disturbing of all, Adam can't help but clock how many people's numbers are in January 2027; how many are on New Year's Day. What chaos awaits the world? Can he and Sarah stop a catastrophe? Or are they, too, counted among the "twenty-sevens"?

Abby McDonaldis a screenwriting novelist whose latest book for young adults follows three unlikely allies who team up to turn their high school prom night into a wild evening that no one will ever forget.In thisinterview with Teenreads.com’s Donna Volkenannt, McDonald explains how she came up with the premise forTHE ANTI-PROM, elaborating on her improbable heroines and the unusual series that helped bring her idea to life. She also reveals how she writes such incredibly successful novels, talks about her former life as a music journalist, and reflects on some of the issues teens must face today.

Popular Bliss has the perfect boyfriend, the perfect prom dress --- and now the perfect case for revenge after finding her BFF and boyfriend making out in the back of the limo. Bad girl Jolene wouldn’t be caught dead at the prom, yet (due to her mother’s ultimatum) here she is, trussed up in pink ruffles, wondering whether boot camp might have been the better choice. And shy, studious, uber-planner Meg, ready to stop being a wallflower and start experiencing life firsthand, never counted on her date’s standing her up and leaving her idling in the parking lot outside the prom.

We at Teenreads.com are thrilled to announce the finalists for the Children's Book Council's 2011 Teen Choice Book of the Year. The five books that were chosen most frequently by our readers as their favorites of 2010 are:

Now it's time to make your voices be heard again. Through April 29th, you can vote for your favorite book, author and illustrator of 2010 by visiting www.BookWeekOnline.com. The winners will be announced on Monday, May 2nd during Children's Book Week.

Calling All Readers Ages 12-17! Answer Our 10-Minute Survey --- And You Could Win a Book!

Our websites are continually committed to bridging the gap between our readers and the publishers and authors behind the books we love. In this spirit, we have aspecial opportunityfor readers ages 12-17 to answer some questions about what type of books you like to read, book covers that appeal to you, and your thoughts on historical fiction and contemporary titles for teens.

We will randomly select 50 participants to win one of four great titles for sharing their thoughts with Teenreads.com.

The survey will be open until Monday, April 11th at 11:59PM ET. It should take you no more than 10 minutes to complete the survey.

MILES FROM ORDINARY by Carol Lynch Williams (Fiction)
Thirteen-year-old Lacey is excited about her new job at the library, and her mother is supposed to start work at the grocery store. Lacey hopes that her mother's ghosts have been laid to rest; after all, she seems so much better these days. But as the hours tick by and memories come flooding back, a day of hope spins terrifyingly out of control. Reviewed by Norah Piehl and excerpted.

CHIME by Franny Billingsley (Historical Fantasy)
Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for her family's problems. To escape her guilt, Briony tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see them, and witches are sentenced to death. Then Eldric comes along and changes everything. As it turns out, there are secrets even Briony doesn't know. Reviewed by Sarah Hannah Gómez.

ANGRY YOUNG MANby Chris Lynch (Fiction)
National Book Award finalist Chris Lynch returns with another award-worthy novel centering on two all-American brothers who encounter distressing experiences and undergo an evolution. The story is astonishingly lifelike and genuine, and is a reading experience I'll guarantee you'll remember for a very long time. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.

STEELby Carrie Vaughn (Fiction/Action & Adventure)
Sixteen-year-old Jill has fought in dozens of fencing tournaments, but she's never held a real blade. So when she finds an old sword piece on a Caribbean beach, she instantly pockets it as her own. But the broken tip holds secrets, and it transports Jill to a pirate ship. In order to get home, Jill must risk everything by dueling to the death with a villainous captain. Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman.

CLOSERby Roderick Gordonand Brian Williams (Mystery/Action & Adventure)
Finally reunited with his dad, Will spends his days exploring the "land of the second sun," decoding glyphs, or eyeing wild animals with the renegade girl Elliott. Meanwhile, Chester has returned Topsoil, where his homecoming is becoming a horror show. But the ruthless Rebeccas have cheated death again, and they'll hunt Will to the innards of the earth. Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman.

PROM AND PREJUDICEby Elizabeth Eulberg (Fiction)
The girls at Longbourn Academy are obsessed with prom. Lizzie Bennett isn't interested, but now that Charles Bingley is back from London, her best friend, Jane, is. Lizzie is happy for her, but she's less impressed with Will Darcy, a pompous jerk who Lizzie finds herself drawn to anyway. Will pride and prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a couple in the making? Reviewed by Amy Alessio.

THE VESPERTINEby Saundra Mitchell (Historical/Paranormal Romance)
It's 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is eager to take in the pleasures of Baltimore. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing visions that offer glimpses of the future. As people come to hear her prophecies, a forbidden romance threatens the life she's built in Baltimore. And when one of her darkest visions comes to pass, some wonder if she's the cause. Reviewed by Sally Tibbetts.

DESIRES OF THE DEAD: A Body Finder Novelby Kimblerly Derting (Supernatural Thriller)
Violet can sense the echoes of the murdered --- and the matching imprint of their killers. But when she finds a young boy's body, she draws the attention of the FBI. As Violet tries to hide her ability, she becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Soon, she starts digging into the past of her boyfriend's pal, Mike, and discovers a truth that might endanger everyone. Reviewed by Amy Alessio.

Graphic Novel Reviews:

THE GOOD NEIGHBORS, Book Three: KIND written by Holly Black and illustrated by Ted Naifeh
When Holly Black decided to create a graphic novel series called The Good Neighbors, she pulled out all the stops, creating one of the most vivid and compulsively readable YA series around. The third and final book more than lives up to the dark, brooding promise of the first two installments, giving Rue Silver's journey a fitting conclusion. Reviewed by John Hogan.

SIEGEwritten by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel
The Marvel Universe has been in a tailspin of disaster after disaster since 2006. Most of our iconic heroes found themselves embroiled in battles against one another over politics and personal vendettas. But finally the heroes reunite and fight the evil that started it all, rediscovering the meaning of heroism. Reviewed by Collin David.

Manga Reviews:

BLACK BUTLER, Volume 3written and illustrated by Yana Toboso
When Sebastian Michaelis, singular butler of the Phantomhive house, lays bare Jack the Ripper's true identity, all that is left for him to do is eliminate the perpetrator in the name of the Queen and Phantomhive. But inhumanly efficient skills don't guarantee victory when the opponent is just as supernaturally gifted. Reviewed by Casey Brienza.

GRAND GUIGNOL ORCHESTRA, Volume 2written and illustrated by Kaori Yuki
Lucille is loving heading up the traveling Royal Orchestra, roving from town to town entertaining the masses and making money. But now he and his Orchestra have met their match: people infected with the Guignol Virus, turning them into zombie dolls intent on killing all humans. Reviewed by Danica Davidson.

CRIMSON CROSSwritten by Sakae Maeda and illustrated by Kyoko Negishi
You can see his ivory-colored sharp teeth through his distorted lips when he laughs...and the crimson-colored blood dripping like it wanted to baptize a person. Carl van Hellsing has vowed to hunt down the vampire Elliot for eternity. But that's exactly what Elliot wants. Reviewed by Danica Davidson.

THE SECRET NOTES OF LADY KANOKO, Volume 1written and illustrated by Ririko Tsujita
Although she doesn't get along with people very well, Lady Kanoko considers herself a perfect "observer." Her hobby is observing the students in her high school class and keeping a journal of the classroom drama. But what will happen when Kanoko becomes more than the observer and directly involved with some of her classmates? Reviewed by Kyla Hunt.

Poll and Question of the Month: Let's Head to the Movies!

Poll:

Which of the following movies based on books have you seen or do you plan to see in theaters or on DVD? Please check as many as apply.

Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
Beastly
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
Flipped
Gulliver's Travels
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1
I Am Number Four
It's Kind of a Funny Story
Jane Eyre
The Last Song
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Water for Elephants
None of the above